According to this report in the Miami Herald ("Houseboat activist Fane Lozman wins again; says he will seek million from city over civil rights"), the fellow who recently prevailed in the U.S. Supreme Court in Lozman v. City of Riviera Beach, No. 11-626 (Jan. 15, 2013) isn't giving up.
The Herald reports:
The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated a 2008 lawsuit Lozman filed against the city, claiming it repeatedly violated his civil rights by hiring a private investigator to trail him, kicking him out of public meetings and, at one point, having him arrested when he refused to leave."Today felt just a tad lower than winning at the Supreme Court," Lozman said shortly after the decision was announced. "The Supreme Court ruling was a 10. Today was a 9½."
...
But, while the high court’s ruling may have stung more, the 11th Circuit’s could be more costly.
When the nation’s high court in January ruled that the city improperly used ancient maritime law to seize and ultimately destroy Lozman’s 60-foot two-story floating home, the possible damages were somewhat fixed. City officials were faced with the prospect of paying Lozman for the $167,000 he claims it would cost to replace his home, the $300,000 he spent for attorneys and an undetermined amount to reimburse him for the money he shelled out for living expenses after his home was destroyed.
However, he said, if he succeeds in proving that the city violated his constitutional rights, the damages could skyrocket.
"If I was the city, I’d be concerned," he said. "That’s a seven-figure sum.
Download the 11th Circuit opinion here.Lozman v. City of Riviera Beach, No. 11-15448 (11th Cir. Apr. 1, 2013)
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